Impatiens plant named ‘Fify Rossa’

ABSTRACT

An  impatiens  cultivar particularly distinguished by its rose-colored flowers, compact habit and small leaves is disclosed.

Genus and species: Impatiens walleriana.

Variety denomination: ‘Fify Rossa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fify Rossa’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in the year 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was ‘IMY-33-2’, a lilac proprietary impatiens line (unpatented), while the male parent was ‘IMY-41-3’, a rose proprietary impatiens line (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands over a two-and-a-half-year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1. The photograph shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage; the inset shows the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Fify Rossa’. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on five-month-old plants grown in one-gallon pots in a poly-covered greenhouse in the fall/winter season. Color readings were taken under natural light in the greenhouse in late winter. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001). Texture description details were observed with a dissecting microscope.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Impatiens walleriana.         -   Common name.—Impatiens. -   Growth:     -   -   Form.—Small, compact, mounded.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Compact habit, good basal             branching; moderately vigorous; pinching of the terminal             apices enhances branching.         -   Height.—5.0-7.0 cm as measured from soil level to top of             plants.         -   Width.—20.0-25.0 cm, including flowers.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—6-10 weeks for a             10-cm (4-inch) pot.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Shade; intermediate flowering,             free-flowering all year; some heat tolerance; use in mixed             containers, window boxes and at the front of border             plantings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—7-28 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, white. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, whorls.         -   Length.—2.5-2.7 cm.         -   Width.—2.4-2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical to orbicular.         -   Margin.—Crenate with ciliate (1) between each lobe.         -   Apex.—Acute with 1 ciliate at the tip.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower surface: Closest to             RHS 147B.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—RHS 144C fading into the leaf until almost             disappearing.         -   Petioles.—Length: 0.6-1.0 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS             144C with some anthocyanin in irregular blotches. Texture:             Glabrous. -   Stems:     -   -   Length.—10.0-13.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Internode length.—0.7-1.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144B.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Stem anthocyanin.—Present in large irregular blotches.         -   Pedicels.—Length: 1.1-1.4 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Color: RHS             144B. Texture: Glabrous.         -   Peduncles.—Length: 1.1-1.3 cm. Diameter: 0.1-0.15 cm. Color:             RHS 144B. Texture: Glabrous. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Length.—0.5-0.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Color when first showing.—RHS 68B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous and freely all through the year.         -   Inflorescence type.—Racemes in leaf axis and in leaf whorls.         -   Number of flowers per raceme and/or whorl.—10-15, including             buds.         -   Number of flowers per plant.—50-75.         -   Flower form.—5 petals in a single whorl; 1 standard or             dorsal (free), 2 lateral or lobed pairs (wing petals) deeply             lobed.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms.—4-8 days.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Flowers:     -   -   Immature flower.—Color upper surface: RHS N66A. Length:             2.0-2.3 cm. Diameter: 1.9-2.0 cm.         -   Mature flower.—Color: Upper surface: All petals RHS N66A but             a little less intense; lower lobes have an eyespot color of             RHS 187C with a size of 0.2 cm. Lower surface: All petals             between RHS 55A and RHS 55B. Diameter: 2.5-2.7 cm. Height:             2.9-3.1 cm. -   Petals:     -   -   Dorsal.—Length: 1.1-1.3 cm. Width: 1.4-1.6 cm. Shape:             Orbicular. Apex: Retuse.         -   Lateral.—Length: 1.5-1.7 cm. Width: 0.9-1.1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Retuse.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose. -   Sepals:     -   -   Number.—3; 1 larger than the others with a spur.         -   Large sepal.—Color: RHS 65C with a greenish hue to the tip.             Size: Length: 0.8-0.9 cm. Width: 0.6-0.7 cm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Fused. Spur: Color: RHS 37B. Length:             2.6-2.8 cm.         -   Small sepals.—Color: RHS 144C. Size: Length: 0.2 cm. Width:             0.1 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.         -   Sepal texture.—Glabrous. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—5 more or less fused by the anthers and covering             the ovary.         -   Pollen cap color.—RHS 63A.         -   Pollen amount.—Not observed.         -   Pistil.—1, complete.         -   Fruit/seed set.—Not observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: Not observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the female parent ‘IW-33-2’ (unpatented) by having rose-colored flowers while ‘IW-33-2’ has lilac-colored flowers. In addition ‘Fify Rossa’ has smaller flowers and a more compact habit with smaller leaves than ‘IW-33-2’. ‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the male parent ‘IW-41-3’ (unpatented) by having smaller flowers and a more compact habit with smaller leaves than ‘IW-41-3’.

‘Fify Rossa’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Pixie Burgundy Rose’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,451) by having larger flowers, smaller leaves and a lighter and brighter flower color than ‘Pixie Burgundy Rose’. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of impatiens plant as shown and described herein. 